Balancing work and family: Establish priorities
Your work life and your personal life may feel somewhat out of balance right now. When you spend more time at work
than you spend at home, you miss out on a rewarding personal life. On the other hand, if you're caring for an aging
parent or you're trying to cope with marital, financial or legal problems, you may find it hard to concentrate on your
job.
Examine your priorities and set boundaries. Be firm in what you can and cannot do. Only you can restore equilibrium
to your lifestyle.
Blurred boundaries: The tendency of work to creep into your personal time
In the '60s and '70s, employees showed up for work Monday through Friday and worked eight to nine hours. The
boundaries between work and home were clear. Unfortunately that's no longer true for many workers. Your work life may
be spilling over into your personal life, blurring the line between your work and your family. Here's why:
Globalization of business. Work continues around the world 24 hours a day for some people. If you work in a global
organization, you might be on call 24 hours a day for troubleshooting or consulting.
Improvements in communication technology. People now have the ability to work anywhere — from their home, from their
car and even on vacation. And some managers expect that.
Longer hours. It's not unusual for an employer to ask staff members to work longer hours than they're scheduled. For
some workers, overtime may even be mandatory. And if you hope to move up the career ladder, you may find yourself
working more than 40 hours a week on a regular basis to keep on top of things or exceed expectations.
Changes in family roles. Today's married worker is typically part of a dual-career couple, which makes it difficult
to find time to meet commitments to home, spouse, parents and friends.
If you've experienced any of these challenges, you understand how easy it is for work to overtake your personal life.
Do you work overtime?
It's tempting to work overtime if you're an hourly employee. By doing so, you can earn extra money for a child's
college fund or your dream vacation. Some people need to work overtime to stay on top of family finances.
If you're on salary, working extra hours may not bring you extra cash, but it can help you keep up with your
workload. Being willing to arrive early and stay late every day may also help you climb the corporate ladder.
Should you work overtime?
If your company doesn't require overtime, take a few minutes to think it over before you agree to work more than a
40-hour week. Take a few deep breaths, count to 10, and assess the pros and cons:
Fatigue. Your ability to think and your eye-hand coordination decrease when you're tired. This means you are less
productive and may make mistakes. These mistakes can lead to injury.
Family. You may miss out on important events, such as your baby's first steps, your father's 60th birthday or your
high-school reunion. Missing out on important milestones may harm relationships with your loved ones.
Friends. Trusted friends are a key part of your support system. But if you're spending time at the office instead of
with them, you'll find it difficult to nurture those friendships.
Sometimes working overtime is important. It's a choice you can make to adjust to a new job or new boss or to pay your
bills. But if you work for a company that requires mandatory overtime, you won't be able to avoid it.
If you work overtime for financial reasons or to climb the corporate ladder, do so in moderation. Most important, say
no when you're too tired or when you have crucial family obligations.
Finding the best balance
It isn't easy to juggle the demands of career and personal life. For most people, it's an ongoing challenge. Here are
some options to help you find the balance that's best for you and your unique situation.
Keep a log. Track everything you do for one week. Include work-related and non-work-related activities. After you see
your patterns, decide where to make adjustments. Cut or delegate activities you don't enjoy, you don't have time for
or you do only out of guilt. If you don't have the authority to make these decisions, talk to your supervisor.
Manage your time. Organize household tasks efficiently. Doing one or two loads of laundry every day rather than
saving it all up for your day off, and running errands in batches rather than going back and forth several times from
your home are good places to begin. A weekly family calendar of important dates will help you avoid deadline panic.
Find out if your employer offers a course in time management. If possible, sign up for it.
Rethink your cleaning standards. An unmade bed won't alter the course of your life. Do what needs to be done and let
the rest go. If you can afford it, pay someone else to clean your house.
Communicate clearly. Eliminate time-consuming misunderstandings by communicating clearly and listening carefully.
Take notes if it helps.
Nurture yourself. You can't have a job, family and friends without nurturing yourself. So try to set aside some time
each day for an activity you enjoy, such as reading, working out or listening to music. Decompress after a hectic
workday by taking a walk, going to the gym to work out or taking a bath or shower. You and your family can decompress
by spending the first 15 minutes at home at the end of the workday eating a healthy snack you've prepared beforehand.
Set aside one night each week for recreation. Take the phone off the hook, power down the computer and turn off the
TV. Discover activities you can do with your friends, partner or family, such as making dinner together, playing a
game or going for a walk. Making time for activities you enjoy will rejuvenate you.
Protect your day off. Try to schedule some of your routine chores on workdays so that your days off are more
relaxing.
Get enough sleep. There's nothing as stressful and potentially dangerous as working when you're sleep-deprived. Not
only is your productivity affected, but you can also make costly mistakes. You may then have to work even more hours
to make up for these mistakes.
Bolster your support system. Give yourself the gift of a trusted friend or co-worker to talk to during times of
stress or hardship. If you're part of a religious community, take advantage of the support your pastor, rabbi, priest
or other religious leader can provide.
Seek professional help. Everyone needs help from time to time. If your life feels too chaotic to manage and you're
spinning your wheels worrying about it, talk with a professional such as your doctor, a psychologist or a counselor
recommended by your employee assistance program (EAP).
Services provided by your EAP are usually free of charge and confidential. This means no one but you will know what
you discuss. And if you're experiencing high levels of stress because of marital, financial, chemical dependency or
legal problems, an EAP counselor can link you to helpful services in your community.
than you spend at home, you miss out on a rewarding personal life. On the other hand, if you're caring for an aging
parent or you're trying to cope with marital, financial or legal problems, you may find it hard to concentrate on your
job.
Examine your priorities and set boundaries. Be firm in what you can and cannot do. Only you can restore equilibrium
to your lifestyle.
Blurred boundaries: The tendency of work to creep into your personal time
In the '60s and '70s, employees showed up for work Monday through Friday and worked eight to nine hours. The
boundaries between work and home were clear. Unfortunately that's no longer true for many workers. Your work life may
be spilling over into your personal life, blurring the line between your work and your family. Here's why:
Globalization of business. Work continues around the world 24 hours a day for some people. If you work in a global
organization, you might be on call 24 hours a day for troubleshooting or consulting.
Improvements in communication technology. People now have the ability to work anywhere — from their home, from their
car and even on vacation. And some managers expect that.
Longer hours. It's not unusual for an employer to ask staff members to work longer hours than they're scheduled. For
some workers, overtime may even be mandatory. And if you hope to move up the career ladder, you may find yourself
working more than 40 hours a week on a regular basis to keep on top of things or exceed expectations.
Changes in family roles. Today's married worker is typically part of a dual-career couple, which makes it difficult
to find time to meet commitments to home, spouse, parents and friends.
If you've experienced any of these challenges, you understand how easy it is for work to overtake your personal life.
Do you work overtime?
It's tempting to work overtime if you're an hourly employee. By doing so, you can earn extra money for a child's
college fund or your dream vacation. Some people need to work overtime to stay on top of family finances.
If you're on salary, working extra hours may not bring you extra cash, but it can help you keep up with your
workload. Being willing to arrive early and stay late every day may also help you climb the corporate ladder.
Should you work overtime?
If your company doesn't require overtime, take a few minutes to think it over before you agree to work more than a
40-hour week. Take a few deep breaths, count to 10, and assess the pros and cons:
Fatigue. Your ability to think and your eye-hand coordination decrease when you're tired. This means you are less
productive and may make mistakes. These mistakes can lead to injury.
Family. You may miss out on important events, such as your baby's first steps, your father's 60th birthday or your
high-school reunion. Missing out on important milestones may harm relationships with your loved ones.
Friends. Trusted friends are a key part of your support system. But if you're spending time at the office instead of
with them, you'll find it difficult to nurture those friendships.
Sometimes working overtime is important. It's a choice you can make to adjust to a new job or new boss or to pay your
bills. But if you work for a company that requires mandatory overtime, you won't be able to avoid it.
If you work overtime for financial reasons or to climb the corporate ladder, do so in moderation. Most important, say
no when you're too tired or when you have crucial family obligations.
Finding the best balance
It isn't easy to juggle the demands of career and personal life. For most people, it's an ongoing challenge. Here are
some options to help you find the balance that's best for you and your unique situation.
Keep a log. Track everything you do for one week. Include work-related and non-work-related activities. After you see
your patterns, decide where to make adjustments. Cut or delegate activities you don't enjoy, you don't have time for
or you do only out of guilt. If you don't have the authority to make these decisions, talk to your supervisor.
Manage your time. Organize household tasks efficiently. Doing one or two loads of laundry every day rather than
saving it all up for your day off, and running errands in batches rather than going back and forth several times from
your home are good places to begin. A weekly family calendar of important dates will help you avoid deadline panic.
Find out if your employer offers a course in time management. If possible, sign up for it.
Rethink your cleaning standards. An unmade bed won't alter the course of your life. Do what needs to be done and let
the rest go. If you can afford it, pay someone else to clean your house.
Communicate clearly. Eliminate time-consuming misunderstandings by communicating clearly and listening carefully.
Take notes if it helps.
Nurture yourself. You can't have a job, family and friends without nurturing yourself. So try to set aside some time
each day for an activity you enjoy, such as reading, working out or listening to music. Decompress after a hectic
workday by taking a walk, going to the gym to work out or taking a bath or shower. You and your family can decompress
by spending the first 15 minutes at home at the end of the workday eating a healthy snack you've prepared beforehand.
Set aside one night each week for recreation. Take the phone off the hook, power down the computer and turn off the
TV. Discover activities you can do with your friends, partner or family, such as making dinner together, playing a
game or going for a walk. Making time for activities you enjoy will rejuvenate you.
Protect your day off. Try to schedule some of your routine chores on workdays so that your days off are more
relaxing.
Get enough sleep. There's nothing as stressful and potentially dangerous as working when you're sleep-deprived. Not
only is your productivity affected, but you can also make costly mistakes. You may then have to work even more hours
to make up for these mistakes.
Bolster your support system. Give yourself the gift of a trusted friend or co-worker to talk to during times of
stress or hardship. If you're part of a religious community, take advantage of the support your pastor, rabbi, priest
or other religious leader can provide.
Seek professional help. Everyone needs help from time to time. If your life feels too chaotic to manage and you're
spinning your wheels worrying about it, talk with a professional such as your doctor, a psychologist or a counselor
recommended by your employee assistance program (EAP).
Services provided by your EAP are usually free of charge and confidential. This means no one but you will know what
you discuss. And if you're experiencing high levels of stress because of marital, financial, chemical dependency or
legal problems, an EAP counselor can link you to helpful services in your community.
